How can I remove black mould stains from wood kitchen worktop?

[thisisthestory]

Our kitchen has wood worktops, which have lots of stains from water and crap being left about, i.e. wet cups left lying on top of puddles

The worst bit is round the back of the sink, which is always wet, and even worse is the bit round the edge of the sink which is very very black. I've peeled off the sealant, which was only tenuously attached, and found so much filth....

Have got neat bleach sitting on it now, but it isn't really affecting the black marks, which are deeply embedded.

Any suggestions?

Have you tried Milton sterlising fluid?

Brillo pads are fantastic, that is all.

I had same problem, and success with sanding and re-oiling with tung oil but it's a huge faff - had to do 4 or 5 coats over a week and do half the surfaces at a time so I could still cook in the other half of the (small) kitchen - but the results were very good and it was worth the effort.

Wood is hard work in a kitchen - but get into the habit of making sure there's no standing water by wiping down with an old tea towel before you leave it. I'll get granite next time!

I have read that oxalic acid will take the black stains out of oak - as Poltergoose said it is oxidation, not mould. And then needs re sealing with a better and more waterproof oil like a hardwax oil.

possibly this?

then sand down and finish with this

yes, Oxalic acid will bleach the wood, after you have cleaned the oil off. Wire wool may do it better than sandpaper.

Oil is fundamentally not waterproof. A PU varnish will be more waterproof, but you will have to remove anything fixed to the wood, such as separate taps, to seal the surface.

Regretfully, I have come to the conclusion that hardwood worktops are at their best in a showroom, and not in a real kitchen.

"Regretfully, I have come to the conclusion that hardwood worktops are at their best in a showroom, and not in a real kitchen."

I agree. I tried everything to remove the black off our beechwood worktops and nothing worked. We gave in and bought new worktops instead.

Someone once told me that a well oiled worktop should mean water beads on the surface. When the water stops beading then time for another maintenance coat of oil.

If you want to read about the joys of Oxalic acid, please read Care of Wooden Floors - a novel by Will Wikes. It is so funny